Advertisement
UK markets closed
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     
  • HANG SENG

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    82.76
    +1.41 (+1.73%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,239.00
    +26.30 (+1.19%)
     
  • DOW

    39,754.84
    -5.24 (-0.01%)
     
  • Bitcoin GBP

    55,996.53
    +1,256.18 (+2.29%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • NASDAQ Composite

    16,374.62
    -24.90 (-0.15%)
     
  • UK FTSE All Share

    4,338.05
    +12.12 (+0.28%)
     

Luke Combs Pays for Funerals of 3 Country Fans Who Died at Faster Horses Music Festival

Luke Combs
Luke Combs

Scott Legato/Getty Luke Combs

Luke Combs has paid the funeral expenses for three young men who died in the parking lot of this month's Faster Horses Music Festival in Brooklyn, Michigan.

Kole Sova, 19, William "Richie" Mays Jr., 20, and Dawson Brown, 20, were found dead in their trailer on July 17 from what the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office says was "carbon monoxide exposure," presumed from emissions from a nearby portable generator.

Kole's mother Meeka Sova told WILX 10 that a rep for Combs, 31, informed the three families on Thursday he had covered the expenses for their memorials. (A rep for Combs did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request to comment.)

ADVERTISEMENT

"We all got the news at the same time," she told the outlet, explaining they were all attending Dawson's funeral service at the time. "We were all there and everybody was just shocked. We just can't believe it. It warmed our hearts. We were having a rough day, and everybody was tense. With that news you just felt warmth in your heart."

She continued, "Him doing that, there's meaning behind it. That was the last concert we were at with our boys. That is where we were last all together having a fun time. When we left that concert that was the last time we had seen them. They went one way home and we went the other way."

Dawson Brown, Kole Sova and Richie Mays Jr.
Dawson Brown, Kole Sova and Richie Mays Jr.

Dawson Brown, Kole Sova and Richie Mays Jr.

RELATED: Pharrell Williams Awards Black and Latinx Entrepreneurs Over $1 Million for Their Businesses

Richie's father, Richie Mays Jr., also spoke about the impact Combs' donation was to their family.

"Just for him to reach out and show the humanity and the kindness... It's a tribute, you know? These boys' lives were taken so early. It's just a difficult time," he said.

The grieving father revealed his son attended the festival with his mother.

"That was his last song with his mother. They were at the concert. They were holding hands. It's just a memory," Richie Jr. said as he began to tear up.

RELATED: Teen Forms 'Unbreakable Bond' with Big Brothers Big Sisters Match After Losing Mom in Car Crash

Luke Combs performs before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla
Luke Combs performs before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla

John Raoux/AP/Shutterstock

Kole's father Jerry Sova called the incident "a freak accident," telling Fox 2 Detroit, "For all those decisions to line up to get to this tragedy it just boggles your mind - of the thousands of generators and campers. they were the ones that it hit."

"I wish I had hugged Kole more," Jerry added. "He knows we loved him and we showed him with actions."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Two other people — Rayfield Johnson, 20, and Kurtis Stitt, 20 — were transported to the hospital in critical condition.

A GoFundMe page was set up to help the two men "fighting for their lives."

Donations are also being used for local charities and future scholarships in Dawson, Kole and Richie's names.